December 2019 Edition

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

As the 2019 pitching season comes to an end for many Charters, I hope everyone had a great season of horseshoe pitching. I know many Charters hosted their State Tournament Labor Day weekend. Congratulations to all State Champions and those participants who competed.
 
The Council would like to thank Mel Yockstick for his many years of service as our W.T. Statistician. Mel provided a written notice to me of him stepping down effective 12/31/2019. In all my years of serving on the NHPA Council, Mel has always been one of those guys who just did his job and never complained. His work and performance have always been outstanding and all of us with the NHPA Council will miss him very much. The Council has posted a notice of anyone interested in this position to contact myself by the end of November. Mel assured me he will assist in the transition of his work duties to the next person we appoint.
Just a reminder, elections are open for 2nd & 4th VP and Sec/Treas. Per the By-Laws, incumbents running for a NHPA office must announce their candidacy in writing to be received by the President and the Horseshoe Pitching E-Newsline Editor no later than February 1, 2020. NHPA members who want to run must announce their candidacy in writing to be received by the President and the Horseshoe Pitching E-Newsline Editor no later than April 1st, 2020.
 
Each year the NHPA votes to award an individual to receive the Arch Stokes award. This is the NHPA's most prestigious award and is awarded to an NHPA member who has done the most during the preceding three to five years to promote, foster and build the sport. We also vote to award an NHPA Achievement award to a member who the Council feels has worked at promoting and growing the sport of horseshoes. For Charters who feel they have members worthy of being nominated to receive one of these awards, please contact me and I will send you a nomination form or you can find it on our NHPA website. The deadline for the Stokes Award is March 31, 2020 and the NHPA Achievement Award deadline is, March 1, 2020. One other nomination for members to consider is the NHPA Hall of Fame. If any of you have an individual who you feel is a candidate, please contact me or Vicki Winston at horshuvicki@socket.net for a nomination form. Nomination forms must be received by Vicki Winston by January 31, 2020.
 
The 2020 World Horseshoe Tournament will be held July 13th - 25th, 2020 at the Monroe Civic Center. This is the same location where the 2011 W.T. was held. In 2011, Monroe had 804 entries, let's all of us do our best to get the total number of entries up to or exceeding 1000! Alana Cooper and Scott Bruscato have already received the NHPA trailer from Wichita Falls, TX and plans are being finalized for the preparation for this event.
 
I had the honor of helping Laurie Lampkin on her duties of W.T. Coordinator by taking in the Sports Conference in Panama City and TEAMS in Anaheim CA. As most of you know, this was the work I use to do for the NHPA. I had a great time reconnecting with many city officials and CVB personnel. Both of these Sports Marketing events are very beneficial to the NHPA on getting cities on board to bid for our W.T. I am very pleased with Laurie with all her work and I can assure you she is doing a great job.
 
The NHPA Council would like to thank Jerry Smith and all the other who assisted with Jerry on hosting the Sanction League Tournament at our HOF Building Oct. 5th-6th, 2019. It sounds like everyone had a great time and the tournament was another great success. --- Thank You ---
 
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, stay warm and keep pitching. Just a reminder to do your part and sign up one new member so we can grow this great sport we all have come to love.
 
Thank You.
 
Stu


2019 Membership Program
Laurie Lampkin, 2nd VP

We still have several charters not reporting their new members for 2019. If you would like to still get your membership bags for your new members, please send me a list. The information is listed below for you. We hope that you send those names to us soon so that they will be able to get their items. This program will continue for 2020 as well. Once you have your shirts, take a group photo and send it to me. Mix up your group with some front photos and back photos of your shirts.
 
If your charter has any newly elected people, please update their contact information with Jim Kinney. It's very possible that the emails have not been forwarded onto the new Secretaries.
In order to receive a new membership bag for your new 2019 and 2020 members, you as the charter secretary are asked to follow the protocol listed below so that we can track these bags and justify the costs.
 
The colors of the shirts are: (Sizes run from Small, Med., LG, XL, 2X, 3X, No Youth sizes)
If you need another size that is not listed, please let me know and we will try to work it out. If a larger size larger than 3X is needed, this will be a special order and I will need adequate time to order and get that printed in advance.
  • Pink
  • Navy
  • Dark Purple
  • Safety Yellow
  • Grey
  • Orange
 
Here is the process to follow
  • State Secretaries will notify me (Laurie Lampkin) directly with a spreadsheet or list of new members. State Secretaries will cc Dalton Rakestraw as (Membership Chairperson) in the initial email so that he can keep a spreadsheet of the bags for tracking purposes in order to justify the costs, the council will receive the report periodically. I will mail out membership bags back to each state secretary which include a "Thank You" note to the individual for joining. In order to help personalize the note for your new member, I will need the full name of your new member.
  • I will require the new members NHPA Card number for 2020. The New member must have competed in a minimum of 2 NHPA sanctioned events by the end of 2019 and 2020 (of course we encourage members to participate in more tournaments) before receiving a new membership bag. We will check the Natstats for the tournaments that have been completed and turned into Natstats.
  • The box or package will ship directly to you the secretary, the secretary is to disburse to your members when you can. The cost to ship to each individual would be extremely costly.

NHPA Banner Program Continues

Beginning in 2018 at the World Tournament in Florence, we revamped the banner program. We are continuing the program and if any interested clubs and charters would like to place an order, please contact me and I will email you a form to fill out and return. Please check all spelling before returning the form.
 
For any club and charter that would like to purchase this banner will continue to be the same, the cost is $16 each. The information on the banner will be laid out as shown with your club or charter name on top, and your website just above the NHPA website. You can also reference your social media pages if you have any. There is a process in place for ordering these banners, so please email me at laurie_r@bellsouth.net and I will send you a form with the information.

2019 Sports Conferences & WT Bidders
Laurie Lampkin, 2nd VP

The annual Sports Conferences for 2019 were under way beginning in August with CONNECT, S.P.O.R.T.S. in September and TEAMS in October. Between all three conferences a total of 217 appointments took place with Convention Visitors Bureaus from all across the US and Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. The council felt it was necessary to begin cross training this year which allows all of the council members to be able to cover for one another in the event anyone has any major illnesses or cannot take off work to attend. This will also allow the council to continue to function with daily business without any hold ups or delays. Rob Hagman, Dalton Rakestraw both attended the conferences this year and was an eye-opening experience for both. Jim Kinney also did a couple of site visits as well.
 
The prospects were very good from all three of these conferences, and we feel positive that we will have a nice selection to choose from for the 2023 World Tournament.
This year we have more cities showing interest than ever before, (actually 7) that have shown very strong interest for the 2022 bidding: The venue layouts for all locations are completed and all are looking great.
 
They are:
  • Cincinnati OH,
  • Memphis TN,
  • Lansing MI,
  • Stevens Point WI,
  • Hamilton OH,
  • Grand Island, NE.
  • St Charles MO/ St. Louis MO
 
Most of these venues have been visited by NHPA council members so we know these places will be a good fit for the 2022 World Tournament. Memphis TN is looking into the venue schedule and will be planning a site visit within the next few weeks.
 
Before leaving TEAMS sports conference, Orlando Florida will be reaching out this week and a site visit is planned there in December. They are bidding for 2023. ESPN Sports Center is also located near the venue as well as Disney World. Orlando will have plenty of activity to offer.

Charter Websites Not Working

When we attend the sports conferences, I proudly pull out my laptop or iPad and begin to show the bidding prospects our website and the websites of the charters in the states that we have appointments with, along with the contact information for the state charter. This is a normal part of the process in meeting with the Convention Visitors Bureau (CVB'S) people and the managers of the venues that manage these facilities. We rely on these charters to have their information correct and updated as frequently as possible because this information could serve several purposes and benefit your charters and the NHPA when looking for potential bidders. Your websites are so important to us that it possibly could cause us to not get the interest of a perspective bidder if the websites are not up and running.
 
There is a total of 6 Charters that have websites not working (which are listed below), updated or both. Some of these websites are defaulting back to the NHPA website. Whatever the reason maybe, please let the council know so that we can get your charter the assistance that may be necessary to get these up and running for you. If you do not have anyone that is a web person, you can contact Rob Hagman which is the NHPA webmaster for any assistance and guidance you may need. If it is a financial issue, please call me and we will together try to come up with a plan to get this resolved for you. My contact information is on our website.
 
  • Alaska
  • Hawaii
  • Mississippi
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • Washington, DC

Sponsorship

We are continuing to reach out and submit the NHPA sponsorship packets to several companies large and small which contain various dollar amounts for sponsorship opportunities. We spoke to a few marketing firms at the sports conference's this year, and many of them gave us the same information. All sports this year are seeing a major decline in the attendance, whether they are indoor sports or outside.
 
All you have to do is look at the stands to see how empty they are. Horseshoes is not the only sport feeling the pain. I spoke to several marketing firms and companies at the Sports conferences this year and all of them have the same advice, keep trying and don't give up.
 
We are continuing to mail out the sponsorship packets and also submit online as well, which is the only way many companies will accept or consider this information. We are also looking into submitting information about the NHPA and our sport to several Television programs. I met with a group at the TEAMS sports conference in Anaheim, CA from ABC sports to get our event on TV.
 
Efforts are constant in working toward getting sponsors of all kinds and types, large and small. This is not an easy task, but we will not give up. If anyone has any contacts, relationships with corporate sponsors or information for sponsorship, please share the information with me. We are working diligently to make this sponsorship program a success.

2020 World Tournament: 
Monroe, LA

The Monroe/West Monroe, LA CVB (Convention Visitors Bureau) have been working very hard this year in preparing for the upcoming 2020 World Tournament. So, take a look at some of the attractions such as Duck Commander from the Duck Dynasty TV Show, Restaurants, Shops, Malls, The Aviation & Military Museum, and much more that Monroe has to offer. Please visit their website at https://www.monroe-westmonroe.org/.
 
Here are just a few attractions and sites to take in when you are not pitching. Monroe-West Monroe area offers a variety of attractions, tours, entertainment and things to do for visitors.
  • Duck Commander 117 Kings Lane PH: 318-387-0588
  • Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo
  • The Biedenharn Museum & Gardens features the family home built by Joe Biedenharn, the first bottler of Coca-Cola.
  • Chennault Aviation and Military Museum of Louisiana.
  • Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge
  • Cheniere Lake Park in West Monroe
  • Chennault Park - 500 acres park featuring golf, softball fields, jogging trails, soccer
  • Ouachita River Cruises
  • D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge, 10 miles north of West Monroe
  • Market at 7th Square - West Monroe Farmers' Market, open year round
  • Masur Museum of Art - 1920s Tudor-style structure on Grand Street
  • Northeast Louisiana Children's Museum - 323 Walnut Street in Monroe
  • Ouachita River Art Gallery - Trenton Street in Monroe
  • River Market - Downtown Monroe on the river
  • Ouachita Wildlife Management Area - 6 miles southeast of Monroe
  • University of Louisiana-Monroe Museum of Natural History
  • Russell-Sage Wildlife Management Area - 7 miles east of Monroe
  • West Monroe's Antique Alley offers more than 5 blocks with over 50 stores full of antiques, furniture, home decor, jewelry, clothing and much more
 
RV Campsite Information for Monroe
 
There are several RV Parks in the Monroe/ West Monroe Area that have been suggested by the CVB. Here is a partial list of parks along with the addresses and contact information for you. To get a complete listing go to: http://www.monroe-westmonroe.org/plan-your-stay.cfm.

Monroe Civic Center
401 Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway
Monroe, LA 71201
318-329-2225
Contact: Sharon Traxler
 
# of RV Sites
Nightly Rate
AMPS
72
$25.00
30 AMPS & 50 AMPS
 
Full Hook Ups-Honey Wagon- $30 per dump.
Bayou D'Arbonne Camping
642 Pinecrest Road
West Monroe, LA 71291 
Business Phone: (318) 396-1025
Cell Phone: (318) 237-4288
Distance to Civic Center: Approx. 8 miles
 
# of Sites
Daily Rate
Weekly Rate
Monthly Rate
30 AMP Full RV Hook UPs
 
12
$25.00
$125.00
$350.00
50 MP Full RV Hook-ups-
6
$25.00
$150.00
$400.00
Tent Sites
4
$20.00
$88.00
$210.00
More than 2 adults per camping unit     $5.00 per person
Laundry room available

Cheniere Lake Park
104 Cheniere Lake Rd
West Monroe, LA 71292
Contact Person: Carolyn Thomas
Phone: 398-0613 Ext 3605
Email:   cthomas@oppj.org
Distance to Civic Center: Approx. 8 miles

 
# Sites
Daily Rate
RV
8
$30.00er night
Tent
2
$10.00 per day
 
Washer and dryer available.
Full hook up, Handicap accessible, Dump Station on site.
Ike Hamilton Expo Center
501 Mane Dr
West Monroe, LA 71292
318-325-9160
Distance to Civic Center: Approx. 5 miles
# of RV Sites
Nightly Rate
AMPS
158
$25.00
Mostly 30AMPS; a few 50 AMPS
 
All RV spaces have water, electric and sewer.   There are showers and dressing rooms available. Conveniently located off of I20

Ouachita RV Park
7300 Frontage Road
Monroe, LA 71202
Phone: (318) 343-8672
Check in 2:00 p.m. / Check out 12 p.m.
Office Hours: 8am-5pm M-F & 8am-12pm Saturday.
Distance to Civic Center: Approx.5 miles

              
# RV Sites
Rental Nightly
Weekly
Monthly
66
$35.41
with a Military, Good Sam or AAA card it is $32.88
 
$170.79
$499.05
Dump
$10.00
 
 
 
 
Pavilion RV Park
309 Wells Road                        
West Monroe, LA 71292
Phone: 318- 322-4216
Email: kmk@pavrv.com
Distance to Civic Center: Approx. 5 miles
 
# RV Sites
Nightly Rate
Monthly Rate
Monthly Rate
61
$36.00
30 Amp-$450
50 Amp: $475
 
Cabins: Prices vary by dates and size; please call or e-mail office for information or reservations.
Activities/Meeting Room / Laundry
 /Private/Individual Bath Houses
Wi-Fi in the common area/Stocked fishing pond
Restaurant on site 
 

2020 Hotel Information for Monroe/West Monroe, LA

The hotels are ready to begin accepting your reservations. NOTE: Please request the "NHPA WORLD TOURNAMENT ROOM RATE" when making your reservations. If you do not make this request, you may not receive the special room rate and pay a more expensive rate. If you have any special requests, please let them know at the time you call to make your reservation. Please call all hotels directly by using the phone numbers that are listed for you. This year, Monroe is using Two "HOST" hotels.
 

The Fairfield Inn & Suites - Host Hotel
606 Mane Street
West Monroe, LA
Phone: 318-582-1160
 
Quality Inn & Suites - Host Hotel
503 Constitution Drive
West Monroe, LA
Phone: 318-387-2711
 
Wingate by Wyndham
228 Blanchard Street
West Monroe, LA
Phone: 312-387-7393
 
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
603 Constituation Drive
West Monroe, LA
Phone: 318-807-6000
 
LaQuinta by Wyndham
507 Constitution Drive
West Monroe, LA
Phone: 318-570-5065

Airlines that fly into Monroe, LA are: 

Monroe Regional Airport is served by three air carriers; Delta Airlines, United Airlines & American Airlines.
 
Delta
Destination: Atlanta, GA
Reservation: 1.800.221.1212
Baggage: 1.800.325.8224
Website: www.delta.com
 
United
Destination: Houston, TX
Reservation: 1.800.864.6200
Baggage: 1.800.535.5225
Website: www.united.com
 
American
Destination: Dallas, TX
Reservation: 1.800.535.5225
Baggage: 1.800.535.5225
Website: www.aa.com


15th Sanctioned League Championship Tournament
Jerry Smith, 3rd VP

The 15th National Sanctioned League Championship Tournament sponsored by The NHPF and the NHPA was held on October fifth and sixth at the Hall of Fame Building in Wentzville, Missouri. The 20 teams battled for almost $5,000.00 in prize funds over the two days of pitching. The three-person teams were cross seeded into two classes, the Scarlet and the Gray. Each three-person team played another team each round in a round robin format. Games were 50 shoe count-all and were handicapped at around 90%. Any team winning two or three of the games in a round was awarded a bonus point for their efforts. The winning teams from each class played each other for the Championship. The standing s were as follows:
 
GRAY
1. Shep's Crew, CO
Shelia Shepard, Jose Duran, Fred Shepard		 26 pts
2.  Jim's 4 Courts, AR 23 pts
3. Cash Money, MO 22.5 pts
4. Capitol City, MO 21 pts
5. Arkdale, WI 20 pts
6. Bourbon Ringers, KY 14 pts
7T. Quail Ridge, MO 14 pts
7T. West Des Moines, IA 10.5 pts
9. Bayou Cajuns, AR 10.5 pts
10. Kansas Pole Dancers, KS 8 pts

 
SCARLET
1. Arkansas Powerhouse
Derek Reynolds, Charles Moppin, Bob Cadwallader		 26.5 pts
2. Soft Tacos, MO 24 pts
3. Cedar Rapids, IA 20 pts
4. Rice Park Ringers, KS 19.5 pts
5. Crossville, TN 19 pts
6. Jan's Gang, MO 16 pts
7. Bonner Springs, KS 17 pts
8. The Good Guys, MO 16.5 pts
9. HOM, MO 11 pts
10. Springfield Trio, IL 7 pts












In the Championship games, Shep's Crew squared off against Arkansas Powerhouse. In Class One, Derek Reynolds (AR) and Sheila Shepard (CO) pitched awesome games and Derek won 127 to 118. Sheila shot 70% and Derek shot a nice 78%. Both pitchers pitched above their original entering averages as Shelia started with a 67.72% and Derek was at 75.51%. The averages that were used for the finals was based on their preliminary round averages and Shelia's was 71.78% and Derek's was 73.78%. Derek is a junior pitcher and would seem to have a tremendous potential for future success. Nice job Derek. Shelia and the Shepard's Crew are regulars at this event and have always had great tournaments. Shelia herself was on a winning team in 2010 when she pitched with the Denver Metro team.
 
In Class Two, Jose Duran (CO) shot 52% and lost to Charles Moppin (AR). Charles won 111 to 94 and shot 54% which was almost 10% over his preliminary average of 45.11%. That will get you a win most of time. Jose pitched just under his preliminary average.
In Class Three, Bob Cadwallader (AR) got the best of Fred Shepard (CO) 108 to 95 giving the Powerhouse team a clean sweep of the Championship round. Bob shot 60% and Fred shot 50%. Bob entered with a 45.78 average pitched a whooping 14.22% over his average which closed the door on Fred who also pitched above his entering average of 44.22%.
 
With the three wins, The Arkansas Powerhouse team won the 2019 National Sanctioned League Championship. Congratulations to the winning team and thanks to all of the teams who competed.
100.00 was awarded to the pitchers in each division who threw the highest percentage game above their average. The Missouri sandbagger Michael Gillespie won the Scarlet division with a 16.03% game above his average. Derek Reynolds was second with a 14.49% over his average. Shelia Shepard of Colorado won the Gray division with a 18.08% above her average game and it happened in the very first match. Teammate Jose Duran was second with a 17.26% game above his average.
 
It was a fun tournament and as usual, the Quail Ridge Club was a perfect host. They had the courts and facility in great shape, helped with the scorekeeping, kept us hydrated and fed, and made us all feel welcome to Wentzville. I want to thank our sponsors, the NHPA and the NHPF for their monetary support and say thanks to Austin Bailey and Dalton Rakestraw who helped in the stat room both days. We will do it again next year on October 3rd and 4th so think about your team and plan on coming to this fun event.

Regional Director Update
Dalton Rakestraw, 5th VP

It has definitely become winter here in Illinois, or as the Arctic Tundra, as I called it. Horseshoe pitching outdoor in this part of the country has seized. Indoor facilities are in full swing. It has become quite a busy time here in RD world. It is the time of year where I order patches and send them out to all. It has definitely been busy; however, I am enjoying the task ahead of me.
 
There is not much news to report in the Regional Director world. We have our scheduled 4th quarter Conference Call meeting coming up. By the time you read this is will have come and gone. We are wrapping up the year of court sanctioning. I have a few charters left to report completed and update my roster of "fully" sanctioned facilities across the USA. As this year ends it has been a crazy ride for sure. I would like to remind everyone of the "Grandfathering" courts policy. It can be found elsewhere in this issue of the Newsline. Also, the NHPA tournament patches have a new look. Check out the design elsewhere in this issue of Newsline as well. Along, with the patches getting a new "lift," the red-bordered tournament sanction certificates have received a new design. Look for those at your local tournaments throughout the year. They have a blue/gray border and have the new logo on them. We are trying to progress here in the RD world. These changes were much needed and hoping that pitchers will like them and maybe we can continue to grow in the future. I can report that the costs of both the new items remained the same to NHPA and members. Keep encouraging your RDs, I enjoy working with them and look forward to another year as chairman.
 
I was asked by Gary Roberts back in the ladder part of the summer if I would be interested in participating in the Jukskei National Championships in Kroonstad, South Africa. At first, I was nervous, well for one it's several thousand miles from home and another I am a college student how will I ever find the time. It just so happened that I didn't ponder on it long. I took a risk and said "yes" immediately. I am glad I did because there is not turning back. I am looking forward to this trip. It just so happened the week of the travel would be during Spring Break and I also would only have 8-week classes next semester and they are online, so I would be completed by that time and I am so glad it has all worked out. Gary tells me that "it is a trip of a lifetime. You will not regret it." I am looking forward to it. So, look for news regarding that in upcoming Newslines. The trip is March 21-28, 2020.
 
As I wrap up my 5th VP article, I am just stunned at how fast this first year in tenure as your 5th VP has gone. I was elected in last year at world. January came around, February was the winter meeting. July was world. And now here I am in November getting ready to start year #2. I want to express gratitude towards those whom voted me in. I know I may have not made everyone happy, but I am doing my best, and I look forward to continued progress and success in 2020. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to all! As always, I leave you with this word of encouragement, "Look for something positive in each day, even if some days you have to look a little harder."

So Long Partner
Aleena Lepak, 2019 Juniors Director

Over the years I have written many articles. This article has defiantly taken me the longest to finish. For those that haven't heard, after seven years, I will no longer be the NHPA Junior Promotions Director. This was not an easy decision for me to make and it took many family discussions. I will not be leaving horseshoes, just stepping down from the position. I don't think I could ever stop pitching, even if I wanted to.
 
After high school, my parents helped me to continue pitching by keeping me sanctioned, and helping me get to tournaments, but mostly they didn't let me forget about my love for horseshoes. I truly believe that this was why I was able to not leave the sport like so many do after graduating high school. The excitement of college, finding where life will take you, marriage, kids, all of these become so forward in our minds that we can put activities we love on the back burner. I feel that I was one of the lucky ones who got to continue with a sport I love while finding my place in this world. Without continuing, I would have never had the opportunity to be the Junior Director.


 
When I first started in this position I was 21 years old, halfway through college, and about to be engaged. I was very nervous to say the least. I had a list of duties but was unsure of what the position would bring. I was an authority figure to kids and their parents, a role model to all juniors, a representative to the NHPA, and had to learn how to juggle my life in there as well. Over the years I became more assertive and confident in my role. I remembered each junior and cadet that came up to me to say hi, almost always with a hug. I learned that there were many hats to wear with this position. Along with all the director duties I had I also become a person that parents came to voice concerns, I was the smile that these kids needed to see when they had a bad game, I was the hug they needed to know someone else cared, I was the person to find the fun and excitement at each new venue. I became a new kind of person because of these kids, a better person.

I  would like to thank all past and presented NHPA officers. You entrusted me with one of the most influential roles, and I can only hope I did it justice. Thank you to my parents for always helping me and instilling my love of this sport. Thank you to my husband for everything. You listened to every rant, conversation, and idea I had, and always helped give feedback. You understood my love for this sport and have shown support for me through it all. Thank you to all members of the NHPA for allowing me to look over the future of our sport. Remember the young ones are always watching you. Be the example they need, and the role models they deserve on and off the courts. Thank you to every Junior and Cadet I have met over the past seven years. You are the ones who made this position worth it. You are the ones I look to the most for your approval.
 
I tried to accomplish as much as I could not knowing how long I would be in this position. I often wonder, "Did I do enough? Should I have done better? Should I have done something different?" Then I remember all of the smiles I saw over the years from the Juniors and Cadets and think: If I made at least one of you excited to be a horseshoe pitcher, if I helped you be a better person on and off the court, if I helped make your memories about horseshoes positive, then I did the most important thing I could have done. I made you forever smile when you think of horseshoes. Please don't ever forget the love you have for this sport.

2020 Juniors Director
Dalton Rakestraw

As you might have heard, I have taken on the duties as NHPA Junior/Cadet Promotions Director (JCD). I am thrilled to have gotten the task. I have stepped down as membership chairman to make room for these duties. I want to thank Aleena Lepak, WI, for all she has done for these juniors and cadets. Her shoes are going to be hard to fill, however I am ready for the challenges ahead and duties involved. One of my first tasks as JCD, is to secure funds and a sponsor for the Junior/Cadets championships funds at the world tournament. I am pleased to announce that the NHPF has agreed to a one-time sponsor of $2500.00 and pending council approval it will be used for something BIG! More on this upon approval at the winter meeting. Being a part of the NHPA council, I am hoping to have allotted funds from a budget so all youth athletes at world tournament may receive a small gift for being a participant in the world tournament etc. I am also looking to have the three world champions receive a world champions jacket. I am also looking to start an incentives program for all youth athletes that will be year-round. More details to follow on these items after the first of the year and the NHPA winter officer meeting.
 
I have some great ideas and plans however I need everyone's help! All these plans come with a cost, so I will be seeking sponsorships, donations etc. to the Juniors/Cadets. It will be a long road ahead; however, I am hoping that with your help we can grow the posterity of this sport. If you are a Junior Director in your charter please email me at nhpa.5thvp@gmail.com so that way I can begin some correspondence with you after Jan. 1, 2020.
 
To close, my goals are a little stretch but with the right connections and right "reach" I will be able to achieve these goals for the Juniors and Cadets. So, 1)secure a juniors/cadets world championship prize fund sponsor; 2)scout out entrance gifts to world tournaments (i.e. pick up stick, measuring tools, hat, shirt); 3)begin an incentives program (perfect games pitched, tournaments pitched 10% over average: $100 or a free pair of horseshoes, sign up 10 friends, free world entry etc.) 4)increase the overall ambiance of the world tournament for the juniors/cadets (bigger/better junior parties, more fun things during the day at worlds, game nights at world, dunk tanks!) AND 6) always advocate for the juniors/cadets on the national level, seeing that we are treated fairly and the same as the adult entrants (we are arguably a larger entrant's group than one or two divisions) AND 5) make an impact on these youth: seeing that horseshoes becomes not just a game or a routine, but it becomes a lifelong friendship with those across the globe.
 
I want to thank the NHPA council for allowing me these duties and I thank Aleena again for all she has done, (she was the director when I was a junior �� .) She made such an impact on me, winning my first world title, and calming me down when I got upset one year at world (darn courts) Ha-ha. I am looking forward to seeing these youth grow and being not just the leader for them but someone to trust and be there for them when games are going right and wrong or whatever the case may be. We will have continued progress in 2020.

Hall of Fame
Vicki Winston

Since this is the last issue of Newsline for 2019, I thought I should remind everyone again that the deadline for submitting Hall of Fame nominations to be considered in the 2020 voting is January 31, 2020. I know there are some folks out there who were planning to submit nominations and time is running short. I will say that there have been three new nominations received and approved by the screening committee in the past few weeks and all are in the Promoter/Organizer category. I will try to get an updated tentative list of nominees to Rob Hagman in the near future, so that he can place it on the Hall of Fame link of the NHPA website. That way you can keep track of who is on the ballot for 2020 at this time. Other names could be added in the weeks ahead.
 
There is a printable Hall of Fame Nomination Form on the NHPA website. Please use only regular mail (snail mail) to submit your nomination. My mailing address is on the nomination form. Remember that only NHPA members or NHPA Sanctioned Clubs can submit Hall of Fame nominations. Nominees do not have to be living. If you think of someone from the past that you believe has been overlooked, by all means do the research and send in a nomination for that person. The HOF committee members like to have as much information as possible about the achievements of the people who have been nominated. Voting is not an easy task. I think the committee is glad that the voting process takes place only once a year.
 
I am sorry that I had to miss the 2019 World Tournament and Hall of Fame Banquet, but my physical condition at that time just would not let me make the trip. I have heard the banquet was very enjoyable, as I predicted that it would be. I think my brother enjoyed substituting for me during the HOF Induction Ceremony.
 
After one postponement, I was finally able to undergo my hip replacement surgery on August 28th. It was a success, although rehab has taken a bit longer than I thought it would. As of this writing I am still going to outpatient physical therapy 3 times a week but am walking without a cane. I just need to work on getting more strength back in my left leg so that I can walk better. I have come a long way from the day I was seated in a wheelchair at skilled nursing and I was told to lift my left foot off the floor. I could not move it at all. I am so thankful for those therapists who have worked with me thus far to get me back on my feet and living a more normal life once again. That cane was almost glued to my hand for a very long time prior to the surgery. Now it is gone, except if I am walking on rough terrain. The pain I endured before the surgery is gone also.
 
The Hall of Fame in Wentzville, MO is as far as I ventured from home in all of 2019, as I can drive over there, spend a few hours and come back home that night. I drove over there on day one of the HOF Invitational Tournament, enjoyed getting to see some horseshoe friends from near and far and stayed for the dinner before driving back home. I'm glad I did that, because I wasn't able to make it to Wichita Falls, Texas to see anyone. Maybe in 2020 I will be able to venture a little farther from home if things keep going well.
 
The holiday season is upon us, so I would like to close by wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. May all pitchers also find a plentiful supply of ringers in their horseshoes during the 2020 pitching season!

NHPF
Casey Sluys

With the aging membership within the NHPA it is imperative that we devise a strategy to bring in a younger group of people.  How to accomplish that has been a dilemma for a long long time.   We all understand that the majority of the young people in the association came to us through parents of grandparents pitching.  This age factor exists in the NHPF also.  My reason for pointing this out is an attempt to locate and persuade some of you younger members to accept some of our responsibilities.   It's happened time and again that a key person in our organizations passes on and a huge vacuum is created because of it.  To alleviate some of the tensions and concerns with this aspect of our group we need to train and hand over the reins to a younger generation.  The best we can do is document our work into a format that others can use as a guideline as time goes by.   We need to stop, look into that mirror and ask ourselves, what is best for the organization?  Let's all concentrate on doing this in 2020 and pass our knowledge on.
 
For many years at the NHPA awards Banquet the NHPF ran a "table auction".  This was devised by a former pitcher, Gene (Burly) Burlingame as a fund raiser for the foundation.  Here's a basic outline of how it worked.  Each table was assigned a number, corresponding numbers were put into a hat, the people at each table were asked to donate whatever they felt like into a pool of money from that table.  For instance, 8 people at the table each put in $5, equals $40.00 from table 4, 8 people at the table only 4 want to participate at $5.00 each equal $20.00 from table 8, and so on.  The money is collected, counted, divided in half, the winning table number is drawn out of the hat, that table received 50% of the money collected from the tables.  It can add up to a significant amount.  How the winning table deals with the windfall is entirely up to those who participated.  There have been a few occasions where the winning table would take out their own donations and contribute the rest to the foundation also.  Of course, that's a huge plus for the foundation and very much appreciated.  This form of a 50/50 has proven popular and in 2019 when we did not run it we were asked by three different people why not?  It's been suggested that we continue this tradition of raising funds for the NHPF at the annual banquet.  Look for it at the 2020 NHPA awards banquet in Monroe/West Monroe, Louisiana.
 
Take a look at our website https://nhpf.info  where does your state rank in the top 15?  Does your club, city, county, state have a brick on the patio yet?  Here's a link to the brick information:   https://nhpf.info/nhpf/donations/brick-plaza/    Thank you all for your continued support and have a wonderful holiday season.

NHPA Historian
Jerry Smith

My new duties as NHPA Historian have sent me to Wentzville twice to work on the HOF and allowed me to sort and file historic documents that have been collected and stored there. We also received from Bob Dunn's family many of his files and collection of historic data, many of which are rare and extremely interesting. The family also donated to the NHPA/NHPF Bob's entire horseshoe collection and those shoes are being transported and stored in the Wentzville facility for future use and viewing. I want to give shout outs to Jerry LaBrosse and Jim Kinney Jr. for their efforts to secure and/or transport the collection of shoes.
 
I have decided to use this space to re-print or re-tell some older thoughts on pitching techniques. These writings will be from articles written years ago by some of the great pitchers and/or authors from the past and come from the many documents stored in Wentzville. The first comes from the pen of Roy W. Smith who authored the famous "Science of the Stake" book. Roy was a top pitcher and a top-ranking authority on the game of horseshoes. Here, in the "Ringer Digest" he wrote about "turning the shoe" slightly edited and paraphrased for clarity.
 
Without proper instruction, many beginners acquire the bad habit of forcing their turns with their wrists. When held and elevated correctly, the shoe, not the player, does most of the work. Guy Zimmerman, one of the world's all-time topflight pitchers, gave the following instructions about securing the proper turn:
 
"Hold your shoe at full-arm length before you. Swing it in the flat position up so it is in line with your eyes and the opposite stake. As you start your backswing, turn the shoe to the vertical position. Keep the shoe in this position until after it passes your leg in your forward swing. Then bring the shoe back to a level position with a free, natural roll of your arm. Keep your wrist stiff and in its natural position. As the shoe again comes up into a direct line with your eyes and the opposite stake, relax your fingers and release. Be sure to release your shoe in a level position so it will land flat and "dead". Otherwise, the shoe will land on edge and roll."
 
Most of the top players make their aim-point correspond with their release point. This prevents a variation in the length of their swing. Swing your shoe back and forth in the vertical position. Note the slight pull exerted on your fingers as the shoe starts to level into release position. Just for an experiment, swing the shoe back and forth while letting it hang vertically from only one or two fingers. Notice how the shoe almost levels itself with your arm roll. Your wrists merely turns with your arm as the shoe swings into a level or release position. This deft, delicate movement of your wrist is all that is necessary to secure your turn. This wrist motion is commonly called "wrist snap or "wrist flip." However, this definition is incorrect. Several different motions can be made with the wrist without "snapping" or "flipping" it. Prove this for yourself. Let your arm hang naturally at your side. Touch your thigh with your palm. Swing your arm up in front of you, letting your palm turn upward, with a free, natural roll of your arm. There is no "wrist snap" involved in such a motion, regardless of how fast you do it.
 
Zimmerman, a former world champion, went on to describe the wrong method of securing the turn: "When you hold your shoe in the flat or horizontal position during your swing, your arm is deprived of its free, natural roll. Thus, the only way the shoe can be made to turn is to force it with a snap or jerk of your arm and wrist. This works a hardship on your arm. Your shoes will not open consistently because you cannot regulate the turn with your wrist alone. It is difficult to swing the shoe in the flat position past your leg without touching your leg or altering the swing path. You must pull your leg inward or swing the shoe farther away from your leg. Either way is not conducive to consistent alignment."
 
If your turn is too slow, raise your trajectory (Flight elevation of your shoe.) If your turn is too fast, lower the elevation. In other words, to speed the turn, swing the shoe up a little more in the vertical position before leveling it into release position. To retard or slow down the turn, level the shoe into the flat or horizontal position a little more quickly before releasing. Shifting the grip, a little up (nearer the toe) or down (nearer the heel) on the shank of the shoe will also speed or retard the turn. But raising and lowering the trajectory is the best method of regulating the turn because no variation of grip is necessary.

Stats: Wichita Falls WT Files
Mel Yockstick

The Wichita Falls, Texas, 2019 World tournament files are now updated and available on the NHPA website. Go to NHPA website and look under "Recognition" Then "World Tournament Stats".

Enjoy the updated results.
 
WT Participation file for 2019 has been recorded:
1). Patch Participation "Pitched in 10+ World Tournaments" Thirty-Three (33) players will receive this patch.
2). Patch "10+ In-A- Row Consecutive Tournaments" Fourteen players will receive this patch.
     Patches are being sent to your State Secretary-Treasurer.
 
All World Champions and Prelim Class Champions winners for 2019 are now listed with the WT Participation file.
 
Look for updated State Champions in the Next Newsline still waiting for results from a few states.

MEDIA: Perrin Wins State Horseshoe Title
submitted by: Brian Smith As Published in the Jacksboro newspaper

There's nothing better than coming out on top.
 
Perrin-Whitt knows the feeling, as a group of high school students came in to Love Street Park here Saturday with few expectations except to have a good time. That they did as the Pirate team not only won the first ever State High School Horseshoes Tournament, sponsored by the Weatherford Noon Lions Club, but had the individual champion in sophomore Tyler Welch.
 
Six teams participated in the event with teams from as far away as Knox City. The Perrin team, comprised of Welch, Jake Holmes, Lane Self, Colby Burwell and alternate Wyatt Keeney, were loose, but focused the entire tournament.
 
"I'm just super proud of the guys," Advisor Jesse Laine explained.
 
Perrin had three places in the final eight with Burwell finishing fifth and Self-winding up 8th. Burwell and Keeney had a spirited discussion while warming up on how Keeney ended up being the alternate.
 
"We couldn't decide so we ended up having a game of rock, paper, scissors," Burwell said.
 
The guys candidly discussed how all of this came about. Laine had heard that the competition was going on, got a team recruited and began practicing a few weeks ago.
The boys admitted it had been a few years since they had thrown shoes but appeared ready to go.
 
"We have gotten so much better over the last 72 hours," Holmes explained. "We've been practicing in the parking lot. We're just a bunch of guys hanging out and throwing shoes."
 
Welch said what helped was his ability to get ringers, or get the horseshoe around the post, consistently throughout the day.
 
"The lowest amount (of ringers) I had all day was four (in a game)," Welch said. "Most of the games I was having 5-6. I've never thrown that good."
Welch said none of the Perrin kids had a chance to see the others compete as things were moving very quickly among the 12 courts.
 
"We'd talk to each other between games, but never saw each other compete," Welch said. "There was a lot of back-to-back games and playing on top of each other."
The Perrin team hopes to be able to return to defend its title next year if here is a second- tournament.